Investigating Student Performance, Course Completion, and Student Perceptions in the Blended-Flipped Teaching (BFT) Model with Collaborative Teaching Teams (CTT) in Large-Sized College Chemistry Classrooms

There is currently a strong trend in higher education toward adoption of active collaborative teaching and learning approaches to improve student performance particularly in large-sized (n > 240 students) introductory gateway science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) classes. This paper discusses an innovative approach: a blended-flipped teaching (BFT) model, with a collaborative teaching team (CTT). This model is a partially flipped teaching approach that includes modified elements from both the traditional lecture (TL) and the highly structured flipped (HSF) teaching approaches. As a student-centered teaching method involving collaborative group learning, the BFT with CTT model also includes active learning strategies such as preclass activities, active lectures, modified flipped recitation sections, modified process oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL) group learning, and peer-led teaching. This new active, collaborative teaching model improves student success rates in large introductory STEM gateway courses. It also helps improve students' ability to think critically and engage in meaningful problem solving, skills necessary for success in this class as well as more advanced STEM courses. In this study, each BFT course included a CTT team, which consisted of a unique arrangement of teaching assistants (TAs) and learning assistants (LAs) working together collaboratively. The TAs and LAs were assigned to smaller groups of students that remained the same for the entire semester, leading to the creation of several communities of learners (COLs) within the large-sized classroom. The COLs offered a carefully structured learning environment that provided support, stability, and motivation to all participants. The BFT with CTT approach enhanced student performance, including in underrepresented minority (URM) and Pell groups when compared to other similar non-BFT courses within the chemistry department. This two-year study occurred during a time when all university classes had to transition from 100% face-to face (F2F) in fall 2019 to fully remote teaching (fall 2020) because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite challenges faced by students and professors during this transition to fully online teaching, the data show that the BFT with CTT outperformed both the highly structured flipped (HSF) and traditional lecture (TL) approaches.